What become of wife , Anne Fenton married at Perth on 20/11/1867.

[AsMcP]

John Macpherson married Anne Fenton at Perth on 20/11/1867, and they had two children: Fenton and Georgina.
In 1874, John and his father James, who were partners in the shipbuilding company James McPherson and Son, were declared bankrupt.
John and James then de-camped from Perth to Liverpool taking the two children with them but not, as far as I can establish, John's wife Anne.
John, in 1878, bigamously married Agnes Carbis in Liverpool under the assumed name of John Laing, set up home and raised another family with her. He later reverted to the name John Laing Macpherson.
My query is; what became of Anne? She must have still been alive otherwise no need for the false name.
Any ideas would be much appreciated.
Al

[CaroleW]

Very strange he would take the children if Ann were still alive.

Ann was b 1846 Perth according to the 1871 so have you checked for a death for her on SP from 1871 onwards?  The marriage and both children's birth registrations are as McPherson - not Mac

The marriage shows Ann as Annie but the 1871 as Ann

Georgina was born in 1871 but after the 1871 census so there is the possibility Ann suffered a mental illness (PND) after the birth and was admitted to an asylum

What documentation do you have which shows the 1878 marriage was bigamous?  Was he charged after the marriage?

[ecksdochter]

     Small Advertisement/Notice in the "Perthshire Advertiser" dated Thursday, 6th June 1872.
     "John McPherson, Shipbuilder, Perth, hereby intimates that he will not be responsible for any Debts contracted by his Wife, Ann Fenton, after this date. Perth, 5th June 1872."
     Sounds like they may have separated.
          Regards,     Dod.

[bleckie]

Hi All
Did a quick search on ScotlandsPeople for. Fenton A* female birth year 1846 +/- 3
I found a Ann Fenton death year 1937 aged 91 in St Andrew (Ediburgh) 685/2 431

May be worth a look
Yours Aye
BruceL

[isobelw]

I don’t think the 1937 one is her. That one is also listed under surname Crockart and other checks on Sp suggest that Crockart was the maiden name and Fenton her married name.

[Rosinish]

Who were Ann's parents?
Were they both alive when she married?
Did Ann have siblings?
Did any siblings marry after Ann & John parted company?
Was Ann a witness at any marriages of siblings?
Who registered both her parents deaths?
Have you checked all census' after 1871?

The above questions may give some idea of when she was still around?

Failing finding a death in Scotland she may have emigrated?

Annie

[AsMcP]

My thanks to all who replied and for your helpful suggestions.
I agree, CaroleW, that it was very strange for John to take the children if Ann were still alive - it has puzzled me for years - and I too considered post-natal depression.
I have John's 1878 marriage certificate to Agnes Carbis under the name John Laing and, twelve months later, the birth certificate of their first born under the name John Laing Macpherson.It has to have been a bigamous marriage and, it seems, he got away with it.
The snippet by ecksdochter indicates that John and Ann had marriage problems after the birth of Georgina, and that Ann was using her maiden name.
Fenton, the son of John and Ann, did quite well in life, becoming the foreign editor of the Daily Mail.
Once again, mant thanks.
Al